Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA)

World-Class Experts in Childhood Arthritis Care

Arthritis doesn’t just affect adults. Kids — even infants — can get arthritis too. The most common type of juvenile (childhood) arthritis is called “juvenile idiopathic arthritis” (JIA). It’s an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation, swelling, pain and other symptoms in a child’s joints, or throughout the body. At Nemours, our teams of pediatric rheumatologists are recognized for our expert care and research into helping kids with JIA feel their best as they grow.

undifferentiated arthritis (doesn’t fit all of these other types or fits into more than one of these types)

JIA Services We Offer

There’s no cure for JIA yet, but we can help manage your child’s symptoms with medicines and other care. Just like JIA symptoms may be different in every child, there are different ways to care for them too. At Nemours, our team will create a customized treatment plan to meet your child’s specific needs.

We offer a variety of treatment services, which may vary depending on the condition or location, and may include:

pediatric pain management services (provided by a team to help relieve pain and help kids function)

Why Choose Us for JIA Care

At Nemours, we have an internationally recognized team of pediatric rheumatologists. We’re experts in diagnosing and treating all types of juvenile arthritis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. And we’re board-certified and fellowship-trained to provide the highest level of care for kids whose bodies are still growing and changing. Many of us are also clinical researchers who have made significant contributions to advancing the understanding of arthritis in kids.

Regional JIA Highlights

We offer JIA care at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children (Wilmington, Del.). In addition to offering full-service rheumatology care, our group also works with other specialists to care for kids in the Integrated Pain and Wellness Program. This program focuses on overall wellness and combines the expertise of doctors from multiple specialties and a variety of therapies to meet your child’s physical, mental and emotional needs. As a team, we work together to help kids function and feel better — and get them back to doing the activities they love.

At Nemours Children’s Hospital (Orlando), we offer full-service juvenile arthritis care in one place. Our state-of-the-art program is specifically designed to lighten the burden of families seeking treatment for JA and similar conditions. Our program supports families by providing a full team: doctor, nurse, behavioral health specialist, social worker, Child Life specialist and physical therapist.

We may also help support kids and their families through:

connections with other families and community/family groups

education about the disease process and how to organize medication schedules at home

addressing and helping families cope with the emotional toll that juvenile arthritis can have on children and their families

access (during clinic days) to dedicated Nemours Associates to help those struggling with school, coping and financial resources

PedsAcademy— the world’s first pediatric school program designed to provide kids in hospitals with research-backed, technology-based educational opportunities specific to a child’s disease or condition

We’re able to offer our juvenile arthritis program, thanks in part to a generous donation by the Schott Family in honor of their daughter.